This Is Why Journey Deserves To Win A Grammy

I've been a huge fan of Journey since
the beginning. I even bought the game a week before it was
“officially” out since I am a PlayStation Plus member.
Everything about the game seemed perfect from the start. The
stunning visuals, unique multiplayer, and interesting gameplay had me
in awe immediately. There is one element of the game, however, that
received a ton of praise from fans, critics, myself, and just about
anyone who played Journey. I am talking about the soundtrack
composed by Austin Wintory; the beautiful music that helps shape this
game to being one of the best video games ever made. The entire
score for Journey was recently nominated for the 55th
annual Grammy award show that will air this upcoming February. I
want Journey to win, and I want to tell you why.

There are a lot of video games with
great music. Everything from 8-bit soundtracks to full orchestrated
symphonies have been used in the past. However, there are only a few
video game soundtracks that really capture the feeling of the
gameplay within the music. Sure, fast paced music during action is a
no-brainer, and slow piano pieces are great when there is a touching
moment or a death of an important character. During my multiple
playthroughs with Journey, I noticed that the music is perfectly
cued, and it also plays with my emotions depending on the stage in
the game. I have never played a game with such a powerful and
appropriate soundtrack.

I personally recommend that anyone with
a PS3 plays Journey to get the full experience, because this music is
very hard to explain with words. I can post as many songs as I
want, but it will never amount to the feeling of playing the game.
So, I want to provide two examples of Austin Wintory's composition in
Journey, and I will do my best to convey why the game deserves a
Grammy.

The Summit

This is the last playable stage in
Journey. I thought I saw everything by this point. The good, the
bad, the harsh, and the kind. Just when I thought my journey was
over, my mysterious avatar launched into the sky towards the summit
of a mountain that I tried to reach for the past hour. The game
allowed me the freedom to soar through the sky and make my way to the
top of the mountain at my own leisure. I can tell you that I
definitely took my time. I loved the visuals and exploring, but the
music is what really got me. The song that plays at this time is
“Apotheosis” on the soundtrack listing. The music gives the
feeling of happiness and hope, and it is an astonishing contrast to
the horror that I thought was my end. It didn't matter what I did in
the game whether I was standing still or flying at a high speed,
because the music captured this moment perfectly. I could look into
the distant horizon, or I could rush to the top of the summit, but I
never felt like the music was rushing me or slowing me down. It was
a perfect balance of happiness, hope, and the wonder of reaching a
destination that seemed unattainable at one time.

The Credits

Songs
that are played during the credits in video games usually don't have
much purpose. They are there so you don't have to look at a boring
screen in silence while the names of a ton of people you don't know
scroll by your face. In Journey, however, I find that the song
during the credits is the best one on the entire soundtrack. After
beating Journey for the first time, I didn't care that I didn't fully
comprehend the storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey I
experienced, and that was enough. The song during the credits is
known as “I Was Born For This”. This song really made me think
about everything I experienced until this point. It represented the
end of a video game in a way that I can't really describe. It can
only be experienced.

The Grammy

Austin Wintory's score for Journey has some fierce competitors when
it comes to winning the award for “Best Score Soundtrack For Visual
Media”. Hans Zimmer's composition for The Dark Knight Rises and
Howard Shore's for Hugo are a couple examples. As the first video
game score to ever be nominated for a Grammy, I really hope Journey
wins. Music plays such a large role in movies, video games, and most
media. It's the extra touch that really impacts an audience. Out of
all of the nominations, I feel that Journey does this best. The Dark
Knight Rises has an excellent soundtrack, but there aren't any
memorable tracks that I recall from the significant points in the
movie. On the other hand, I remember the songs that astonished me
after playing Journey. I haven't played Journey in about two months,
but I can still recall that feeling of excitement every time one of
those songs started. That is what makes the music of Journey
special, and that is why I think Journey should win this award above
all the other nominations. It's not about how great the soundtrack
sounds; it's about how it was used to enhance one's experience.
Journey is the perfect example for that.

I know this may be viewed as a
rambling, but it's hard to describe such music and reasoning without
experiencing it in context for yourself. Hopefully, other Journey
fans can elaborate in the comments below, because I am sure they are
in love with this soundtrack as well. Be sure to check out the
Grammy Awards this February to see if Journey makes history.